Own Your Own Power

I was first introduced to the concept of “owning my own power” after complaining to a friend about a professional colleague. My friend wisely asked me how I had addressed the issue with my colleague. I found it tough to admit that I hadn’t.

He paused and said, “Own your own power and quit acting like a victim. Go talk with your colleague, explain the issue, and tell him what you need from him.”

Words to live by. How many hours had I’d wasted before I was hit with this blinding flash of the obvious? How ridiculous was it to be irritated because someone else hadn’t done what I thought they should, or, had done something I didn’t think they should have, yet not addressed the issue?

Even with that knowledge, sometimes it takes a sleepless night or two before I’m ready to admit that I’m upset with someone over an issue I have yet to address.

I’ve also learned that when I’ve stewed about a situation I have to be particularly careful to leave my emotions out of the dialogue when I address it.

Over time we each develop a method for doing this. My current method involves writing the person a letter (not an EMAIL!) Particularly when it’s an emotionally charged issue I pour out my emotions in the first draft. Then I save the letter and go do something else.

After I’ve had time to clear my head, I edit the content to tone it down. I continue “edit, go do something else” cycles until the picture in my mind of the person’s response is one that will resolve the problem.

At that point I typically go see the person or pick up the phone and call them.

I’m stewing about a situation now and just finished the second draft of the letter…. This one’s going to take a couple more rounds of introspection to acknowledge the part I played in causing the situation. Clearly, I’m still a work in progress.

Leah Ward-Lee is a management consultant and business writer based in Dallas, Texas and the author of $1,000 Start-Ups. Her next book, The Executive’s Toolbox, will be released soon.

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Published by Leah Ward-Lee

Leah Ward-Lee, the author of "$1,000 Start-Ups", is a serial micro-entrepreneur. She opened her first business at ten after lobbying for and receiving a shoe shine kit for Christmas.
She pulled her wagon through the neighborhood, going door-to-door, offering to shine her neighbor’s shoes for twenty-five cents a pair. Once her wagon was full, she took the shoes home and polished them.
Unfortunately that business was short-lived. She hadn’t tagged the shoes and couldn’t remember whose shoes were whose, so her dad went with her to retrace the route until every pair was returned.
Since then she’s had businesses developing and teaching college courses, instructing aerobic classes, owning half a plane that was rented to a flight and maintenance school, and renting homes. She’s also owned a consignment store, a gift shop, a gift basket business, a consulting firm, hosted The Executive Toolbox (a weekly radio show), and a publishing company.
She also spent twenty years in the US Army, served as the Chief Information and Technical Officer for two major insurance companies, and has a second career as a management consultant.
Leah resides in Dallas, TX and on Amelia Island with Sammy and Goliath, her two rescue dogs.
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Great insight Leah! Handle issues immediately. Don’t expect those around you to be mind readers. Not being a victim to a problem, yet crafting a way to tactfully confront the issue in a caring manner makes perfect sense. This is an area of my life I certainly want to improve.
i hope you are doing better than good! Have a great week! Jake